To Hell With Providence
by 1alucard1
Summary: Linda helps Lucifer overcome the gridlock in his relationship with Chloe. He decides he wants to pursue a romantic relationship with the detective, but is it already too late? Has he screwed things up beyond repair? (Spoiler: It's not and he hasn't)
1. Chapter 1

"There is one thing I still don't understand."

"Only one? Looks to me like we're making progress then, doctor." He gave her a cocky grin.

"Why bother?"

"What?"

"Why bother trying to do the opposite of what your father's plan is?"

The grin vanished. "Well, I thought that would be rather obvious to you by now. He's an utter bastard, that's why."

"Yes, I got that, but you do not have any inside knowledge on what his plan is, do you?"

"I'm afraid I don't follow, doctor."

"If you do not know what the plan is, how do you know that whatever you're doing isn't exactly what he meant for you to do in the first place? How do you oppose something when you can never be sure what it is? For example, how do you know he didn't mean for you to find out about Chloe's origins? It sounds just like the type of twisted punishment you keep attributing to him: To dangle the possibility of happiness in front of your nose and to make you deny it to _yourself_."

Lucifer stared at her, mouth agape, a shocked expression on his face.

"So, why bother with his plan at all? Why not simply do whatever you want? Whatever makes you happy? After all, isn't that sort of your mission statement? Do whatever you desire? Why let your interpretation, which may or may not be accurate, of your father's wishes stand in the way of that?"

Lucifer continued staring at her for a couple more seconds, then he blinked and closed his mouth with a snap.

"You raise an interesting point of view, doctor."

"That's what I'm here for."

"So your suggestion would be to- just ignore him?"

"Essentially, yes. You keep trying to free yourself from your father's influence by doing what you think is the opposite of what he wants. But that just leads to you spending your time figuring out what he might have planned, what he might want for you. My advice would be to stop thinking about it entirely. Do what works for you, his plans be damned."

He spoke slowly, considering her words carefully. "I'll ... think about it. Thank you for your advice, doctor."

"You're welcome, Lucifer."

Lucifer left and Linda sighed. She usually avoided telling patients what to do like the plague. Her job was to guide them, to help them gain a deeper knowledge of the reasons behind their actions and reach conclusions on their own. However, with Lucifer that approach had always been less effective. He had a tendency to hear whatever fit in his current narrative. She was curious how this more direct approach would play out and hoped it would turn out to be beneficial for him. Time would tell.


	2. Chapter 2

Lucifer would be the first to admit that he might have been a little distracted over the course of their current investigation.

They were standing at the beach, in the same spot where the murder had occured two days ago, confronting their main suspect with new evidence. Well, actually Chloe was busy confronting their suspect with new evidence, Lucifer's thoughts kept circling back to his conversation with Linda.

All of a sudden, the man took off, _into the water_. What the hell did he think he was going to accomplish with that? Did he plan on boarding a nearby ship?

Chloe went after him, probably fearing for his life, rather than thinking that there was any real danger of him getting away. Lucifer watched from the beach as she caught up to the suspect before he was even fully immersed and dragged him back. She put him on his knees, handcuffing him. Lucifer never tired of seeing her in action.

Chloe looked down at herself, water droplets falling off her soaked clothes. "Fantastic. This is just fantastic", she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lucifer took off his suit jacket and placed it around her shoulders. She gave him a grateful little smile. It caused a strange fluttering sensation in his stomach. Usually he would have fought it down forcefully, but this time he let it be. It spread out, giving him a warm, tingling, gratifying feeling. It was rather ... nice.

If immortality had taught him one thing, it was that there was no time like the present.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me?", he blurted out.

Chloe furrowed her brow. "What, you mean like a date?"

The sensation in his stomach changed and he realized that he was getting _nervous_. Now that was an entirely unexpected development. He shifted from foot to foot.

"Yes", he said, sounding more certain than he felt.

"Where is this coming from?"

Now it was his turn to look confused. "Because I would like to go out and have dinner with you?"

Chloe looked annoyed rather than excited at the prospect of going out to dinner with him, another thing he hadn't expected.

"Hmm, so you can stand me up or, better yet, show up with another woman on your arm? No, thank you."

Lucifer had a sudden, and monumental, epiphany about how his actions might have come across from Chloe's point of view.

"Um", he said, rather ineloquently.

"Why now?", Chloe asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest, her stance defensive.

Lucifer continued shifting around uneasily. _Get it together. You've faced Dad's wrath, surely you can ask a mortal out on a date without breaking into a sweat._

"Because I want to?", he tried again.

Chloe shook her head. "I'm gonna need a little more than that, if you want me to seriously consider this."

Lucifer sighed. He caught himself scratching at a spot behind his left ear and was appalled at the insecure gesture. He drew his hand back quickly.

"Um. I've been thinking about this- us- and I've come to realize that maybe I haven't handled things in the best way-" Chloe raised an eyebrow at that, but remained silent. "-what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry how things played out. I admit I've let my fear of not being entirely in control of the situation affect me unduly. I hope you might be able to forgive me."

There was a moment of silence.

"C'mon, lady, you gotta go to dinner with him after that!", piped up their suspect from the ground.

Chloe glared at him. "You have the right to remain _silent_ ", she reminded him. She turned to Lucifer. "Can you give me some time to think about it?"

While it wasn't what he'd expected, at least she hadn't turned him down right away. He swallowed around a sudden lump in his throat. Had he screwed things up beyond repair? Given how he'd acted in the past, he could see how she would have trouble trusting that he was committed this time, that he wouldn't run again as soon as things got serious. He'd just have to work to convince her that things were different now. He nodded slowly in reply to her question. He could wait for her.


	3. Chapter 3

_3 weeks later_

Chloe stared at the red roses on her desk, deep in thought. Lucifer hadn't pushed her to make up her mind already. In fact, he hadn't even asked her again after the first time on the beach. He just kept doing these small romantic gestures, like the roses on her desk. She was sure he'd stop with those as well, if she asked him.

She wondered if maybe she was being a little unfair to him. Letting him struggle on like this without giving him an answer. Was she possibly punishing him for things that happened in the past? She wanted to give him an answer, but she just couldn't make up her mind what it should be. There was undeniably chemistry there, and, if she was honest with herself, something more. But he had hurt her in the past, and she wasn't a trusting person to begin with. She'd let down her walls for him, only for him to vanish and return with his _wife_. Could she overcome that? What if every time she didn't hear from him for awhile she started imagining that he was running off again? It all came down to this, would she be able to trust him again? Not just as a partner at the LAPD, but as something more?

She looked at the roses again. He'd been a perfect gentleman, even though she was sure her behaviour must be grating on his nerves by now. In spite of his reputation, and his lifestyle, she had never seen him be anything but a perfect gentleman. She thought he had the capacity to be in a committed, monogamous relationship. That he would put all his efforts towards trying to make her happy. So what had happened last time? The obvious answer was that he'd gotten scared. Things got serious, he got scared, and he ran. Ran as far as it was possible to get. Made certain that there was no chance of a relationship developing between them.

And yet, he'd come back to work with her. He got so scared that he ran off and married a woman he'd just met and yet he came back to work by her side. Chloe sighed and rubbed her hand over her tired eyes. Well, she could think about this for weeks to come without reaching a conclusion.

She looked up and flinched. Out of nowhere, Amenadiel had appeared in front of her desk. How he and Lucifer managed to silently sneak around like large cats in spite of their size was beyond her.

"Can we talk somewhere?", he said, looking concerned.

Chloe furrowed her brow, surprised at his serious tone. She nodded, and let him into Ella's lab. The forensic scientist was probably busy at a crime scene somewhere.

"What's up?", Chloe asked, leaning against one of the tables.

Amenadiel stared at the equipment on the desk, seeing right through it, deep in thought. "It's Lucifer. There's something wrong."

Chloe felt her heart rate accelerate, a strange sensation spreading through her chest. "Wrong? What's wrong with him? Is he hurt?"

Amenadiel looked over to her, realizing his mistake. "No, sorry, it's nothing like that. Physically, he's fine. It's just that he's- I don't know, he's very different. Quiet. Thoughtful. I've known him for a long time and I've never seen him like this. Sure, he has had bad days, but usually he gets angry at me when he does, not this- quiet seriousness. I can't really describe it." He hesitated for a moment. "You spend the most time with him, so I wanted to ask if you have noticed anything different in his behaviour that you might have been worried about."

Chloe cleared her throat, thinking about how she was going to phrase this. "I think I might know what has changed."

"Really? Please tell me."

"Um", Chloe said. "Well, he kind of asked me out a couple of weeks back and I haven't made up my mind about it yet."

Amenadiel stared at her in confusion. "He- asked you out?"

"Yes."

He noddded slowly, as if she had just informed him of some monumental shift that he needed time to process.

"He asked you out."

She nodded, wondering why he was so shocked. Maybe he didn't approve?

"Are you sure?"

Chloe glared at him, getting annoyed with his antics. "Of course I'm sure. What's the problem?"

"Oh. Nothing. It's just not like him, is all."

Chloe's expression changed to confusion. "You mean to tell me he's never asked anybody out before?"

"Not to my knowledge, no."

 _Wow_. That was just. Well, wow. He'd never asked anybody else out before. And she'd basically shut him down. Worse, actually, she'd left him hanging.

"Maybe I should talk to him", Amenadiel said thoughtfully.

Chloe shook her head. "No, I think it's me who should go talk to him. I owe him an explanation."

* * *

She was surprised to find Lux completely empty. Lucifer sat at the piano, alone, playing a beautiful, haunting tune that she didn't recognize.

He stopped once he became aware of her presence. He looked up to her, a bright smile spreading over his face. Unlike his usual cocky grin, it reached his eyes, transforming him.

"Detective!", he said, sounding truly delighted at her presence.

She came closer, suddenly, and inexplicably, nervous. "That was beautiful. Care to play some more for me?"

He seemed surprised at her request, yet happy to oblige. He picked up the same song again, and Chloe watched him, enthralled. She had never appreciated how truly talented he really was at the piano if he put his mind to it. And he was certainly giving it his all now. The song build to a crescendo, his fingers flying over the keys.

Chloe watched him pour his heart and soul into the music. It was one of the things she loved about him. He never did anything halfway. Anything he did, he always did with passion.

She was certain that he had never intended to hurt her. That, even though he didn't let it show, what had happened between them had affected him as well. What Amenadiel had said had shaken her. Was Lucifer really that inexperienced when it came to relationships? It certainly put everything that had happened into a new light. For one, it explained why he'd gotten scared.

The song slowed down again, and Lucifer finished it, softly playing the last keys.

"Yes", Chloe said into the sudden silence.

"Yes?"

"Yes, let's have dinner together."

If she had thought his earlier smile had transformed him, it was nothing compared to the one she was seeing now. It was pure happiness if she'd ever seen it. Well, there might have been a smudge of nervousness to it as well, but who could blame him? She herself was feeling as if a swarm of butterflies had suddenly decided to take up residence in her stomach. It was excitement, anticipation, happiness, but also a decent amount of nervousness, all bundled together.

"Splendid", he said, beaming at her, and she couldn't help but smile back at him.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucifer regarded himself in the mirror, and sighed. No, that wouldn't do either. Why was this so difficult? He always spend the necessary time to look impeccable, but it was usually not infused with this feeling of _insecurity_. He knew that he looked stunning. Well, normally. Today, nothing he tried on seemed to be good enough. Befitting the occasion.

Well, this was getting ridicolous. He'd just wear this suit. He didn't have any more time to spend on this silliness anyway. He wanted to make sure to pick Chloe up too early, rather than being even slightly too late. He wouldn't let her think even for one minute that he might not show up this time.

* * *

He knocked on her door, shifting from foot to foot, terribly nervous. The feeling was entirely unfamiliar and very disturbing. Was it going to be like this for the whole evening? How did people go about their lives like this, always second-guessing every action, afraid of everything that could potentially go wrong? Fear of rejection, he realized suddenly. That's what it was. What if he gave this a shot, put himself out there, only for Chloe to reject him?

 _Get a hold of yourself_ , he thought. She'd agreed to the date, hadn't she? She was willing to give this a chance. _Doesn't mean the rejection isn't still to come_ , the perpetually gloomy part of his mind supplied unhelpfully. _Remember all the things she doesn't know yet._

Chloe opened the door, giving him a shy smile, and his train of thought crashed and burned. She looked absolutely stunning. Breathtaking. Beautiful. Her hair was down, and she wore a dark red stress that was simply perfect for her. And she wasn't wearing it as a disguise for some sting operation, she was wearing it for _him_.

"You look amazing", he told her, truthfully. He watched in utter amazement as a blush crept up her cheeks at his compliment. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who wasn't their usual badass self tonight.

They spent the car ride in an awkward silence. Lucifer had a lot of things he wanted to tell her, but not tonight, not yet, and definitely not while driving a car. He wanted to ask her questions, but he already knew so much about her. He had no idea where to start a conversation, which had never been a problem for him before. Why was this so difficult? Was he doing something wrong?

"Where are we going?", Chloe asked, breaking the silence. He gave her a grateful look.

"It's a surprise."

"Let me guess, it's some insanely expensive place that serves beef which has been fed with lobsters."

He just smiled, feeling more in his element now. "No."

She took a closer look at their surroundings. "Well, we're not going to Lux."

He huffed. "What kind of uncreative buffoon do you take me for, detective? To bring you to my own club."

"What are we doing in this part of town though?", she asked skeptically.

"Maybe I should have blindfolded you to keep you from doing your thing and figuring out my surprise in advance."

She laughed nervously. "Sorry. Occupational hazard. I'll stop trying to figure it out, I promise."

Lucifer smiled. "Don't make promises you can't keep, detective."

* * *

Lucifer finally stopped the car at a parking lot at the beach. There were no other cars there, which was strange. Even this late in the day, there was usually somebody around.

Lucifer got out of the car, and walked over to her side. He opened the door and held out his hand to her. She thought that she probably should be annoyed at the old-fashioned gesture, but it somehow suited him, and the occasion, so she smiled at him and took his hand.

They started walking and she knew immediately where they were. They were going to the spot where they had first kissed. It was an incredibly romantic gesture, but she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at not getting treated to one of L.A.'s expensive restaurants.

They came closer, and Chloe stopped in her tracks as she took the whole scene in. There was an actual table at the beach, with two chairs and a candle in the middle. In a circle around the table, five small fires were burning, casting a beautiful light and giving some warmth in the evening breeze.

" _Lucifer_ ", she breathed, stunned that he had gone through these lengths just for a date.

She gave him a sideways glance. "I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to have open fire on this beach."

He just grinned in reply. " _Mere mortals_ may not be allowed to light fire on this beach."

Chloe rolled her eyes, and suddenly felt much more at ease. For a moment, they had just been themselves again, without the heavy weight that the whole _going on a date_ bit added to the evening.

He pulled out her chair for her, and the nervousness slammed back into her full force. They were really doing this. She was on a _date_ with _Lucifer_. And she'd kind of counted on him to be his usual confident self, lighting up the mood, but if anything, he seemed to be even more nervous than she was. Which was a little endearing in a way.

He went over to one of the fires and returned with a box. He opened it up and served her a plate, and it looked delicious. And, thank God, it was real food and not just a splash of something unrecognizable like they served in some of the fancy places.

She looked at the plate, then back up at him. "How did you know what I would like?"

"Please. I've done my research. I thought about giving you the choice of a menu, but decided against it as you probably wouldn't have liked all those dishes going to waste."

He really had given this a lot of thought. A bottle of wine magically appeared from another box and he poured her a glass, then went to sit on the other side of the table. Another awkward silence settled over them as they started eating and neither of them seemed to be able to find anything to talk about.

"Well", Lucifer said finally, fidgeting with his napkin, the picture of nervous energy. "Here we are."

"Yes", Chloe agreed and took a sip from her glass, mostly to have something to do with her hands.

Lucifer cleared his throat. "Is it always like this?"

"What do you mean?", Chloe asked, confused.

"Going on a date. Is it always this- nerve-wracking?"

Now, this pretty much confirmed Amenadiel's statement. "You've never been on a date?"

He thought about it for a moment. "No. Unless you count any of the previous times we've had food together. Usually, people just want to see my bedroom. Or the jacuzzi. Or the-"

She held up her hand, stopping him. "I got the picture, thanks."

"Sorry."

They were quiet again for a long moment. Chloe took another nervous sip from her glass and realized with a start that it was already empty. Lucifer nodded towards the bottle, offering a refill, but she shook her head. A slight buzz would help to reduce the nervousness, but she really didn't want to get drunk.

Lucifer cleared his throat, apparently for once in his life at a loss for words, and all of a sudden Chloe had enough. There was no reason why it had to be this awkward, and formal. Why couldn't they just be themselves? She stood up suddenly, walking over to Lucifer. He gave her a confused look, but she just held out her hand to him, smiling.

He hesitated for a second, a puzzled look on his face. Then he took her hand, and she led him away from the table, close to one of the fires. They sat down next to each other in the sand. Chloe never let go of his hand. She leaned her head against his shoulder, closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath.

She felt a strange mix of emotions. Some of the earlier tension drew out of her. But it was immediately replaced with new worry. Was she moving things too fast? Had he wanted to have a nice dinner and now she had ruined his carefully laid out plans?

Lucifer adjusted their position a little, drawing his arm around her, their intertwined hands now in her lap, her head resting more against his chest than his shoulder. She was surprised to hear his heart beat impossibly fast, thundering in his chest. He was clearly incredibly nervous, possibly even afraid.

They both started talking at the same time.

"Chloe-"

"Lucifer-"

"Can I go first?", he requested, and she nodded. He took a deep breath. "There is something you need to know. I could say in my defense that I tried to tell you, but I guess I have never fully committed to making you believe it. I was afraid- I'm still afraid of what might happen- I deluded myself into thinking we could have- we could move on like this and I could tell you later, but I've come to the realization that that's not fair to you. You deserve to know who I really am before this goes any further."

Chloe leaned back, looking at his face, trying to catch his eye, but Lucifer looked straight ahead into the waves. What she saw in his expression was almost panic. He was forcing himself to sit still, but he was clearly agitated over whatever he intended to say.

"I- I have never lied to you. But- I-" He swallowed, struggling to get the words out.

Chloe put her hand on his cheek and softly turned his head so that he was facing her. He finally met her eyes and she saw that he was truly terrified.

"Lucifer. I don't care about your past. Well, of course I care, and I'm grateful for anything you want to share with me, but you don't have to feel obliged to do so. I know that you are a good man, right here, right now, and that's what matters. Whoever you were, whatever you did, it doesn't change that. Nothing can change that."

He shook his head fervently. "It will change everything. You won't be able to look at me the same way-" She leaned forward, meeting his lips with hers, cutting him off. He didn't reciprocate at first, remaining frozen in place. Just when she was about to pull back, he responded, opening his mouth slightly, lifting her all the way into his lap.

And all of a sudden she was on top of him in the sand, one hand in his hair, the other sneaking under the hem of his dress shirt, kissing him senseless. He made a desperate sound somewhere between a moan and a gasp, and the noise sent a bolt of electricity along her nerves.

She really hadn't planned on progressing the evening like this. She'd wanted to take things slow. But then he'd sat there, looking absolutely desolate, and _lonely_ somehow, and she just hadn't been able to fight the overwhelming urge to kiss him. And she really, _really_ , hadn't planned on having sex on the beach, that was for juvenile thrill-seekers in her opinion, but the way he squirmed below her was nothing short of sinful, and somehow her hands started unbotting his shirt.

He pushed himself up on one elbow to meet her lips again, his other hand sneaking up her back, until it came to rest on her neck, pulling her closer to him. She felt him tremble slightly beneath her, and she was certain that he wanted this as much as she did, but then he suddenly rolled them around, reversing their positions, and pulled back from her, standing up.

He looked at her, torn. He took a few steps backwards, evidently trying to put some distance between them.

When he spoke, his voice was trembling with suppressed emotion.

"I hope you will be able to forgive me for this one day." He stood up a little straighter, and he gave her a look that she could only describe as _pleading_. Then something shifted, the air around him seemed to shimmer for the fraction of a second, and from his back unfolded a pair of majestic, breathtaking wings, that were so white that they almost shone with an inner light.

She just stared at him.

Her first thought was, stupidly, that he had an enormous wing span.

Her second thought was that this must be some trick. Some elaborate scheme designed to make her believe in his delusion. He couldn't really have wings. Human beings didn't have wings.

The left wing twitched a little, showing the nervousness of its owner. Chloe saw him move the wing, saw the way the single feathers flowed in the breeze, saw the impossible white light coming off of them and she knew that they weren't fake, couldn't be fake.

She realized she had been holding her breath and inhaled sharply. In her mind's eye the countless times he had told her the truth replayed, one after another, his voice clear in her head. _I am the devil._

There was a God. Hell was real. _Heaven_ was real. Angels walked the earth. One of them had walked into her life as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

She almost started giggling hysterically, but stopped herself. Her roommate was a demon. Forged in the fires of hell. Or something.

She continued staring at Lucifer. He looked at her with a worried expression, and she wanted to reassure him that everything was fine, but somehow she couldn't make her mouth form the words. It was as if her brain was still rebooting. _Loading new reality in which angels are real, the devil actually wears Prada and the Bible probably happened._ She felt the urge to laugh again. Or maybe scream. Or possibly both.

She'd kissed the devil. She'd played piano with the devil. She'd woken up in the devil's bed. The devil, who was looking at her right now with frightened eyes, which, really, was a little ridiculous. How could the _devil_ be scared of her reaction? Why on earth had he spend all this time with her, solving murders? If he had some nefarious plan, then why had he been honest with her from day one about his identity?

 _I'm in love with the devil_. The thought should have been terrifying, but for some reason it wasn't. Maybe because he wasn't anything like the devil was supposed to be. For one, he was a good man. She didn't have any doubt about that. He always seemed to be happiest when he could make others happy. She had never once seen him enjoy the misery of others. He wasn't evil.

And she probably should say something, anything, but she just continued staring at him, waiting for her brain to reach a state of coherence sufficient for forming a sentence of some sort.

* * *

Lucifer had spent millennia that weren't as long as the minutes he spent on that beach, waiting for Chloe to either break or recover.

He kept himself busy with fighting down the hope that kept trying to surge up. He couldn't allow himself that luxury. He had to be prepared for the worst. She could get up and run any minute now, and never return. She might never want to see him again. It was a likely outcome. He had to be prepared.

She continued to stare at him and Lucifer felt strangely exposed in way he'd never experienced before. He felt nauseous. His heart beat was thundering in his chest, and he wanted nothing more than to run and hide, but he forced himself to remain where he was.

He felt the sudden urge to run up to Chloe and hug her, but he fought that one down as well. He'd probably just make things worse. Chloe had yet to show any reaction.

Just when he started to consider calling Linda for help, Chloe moved. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, running both her hands through her hair. She took in a deep breath, then another. She opened her eyes again, nodding slowly. "Okay", she said, very silently, more to herself than to him.

She stood up from where she had been kneeling in the sand. He made a tentative step in her direction, but she held up her hand, stopping him. His heart might have stopped beating for a moment as well.

"Give me a minute, okay?"

With a visible effort, she drew her eyes away from his wings, staring into the waves instead. She looked contemplative rather than scared, and that accursed hope that everything might still turn out alright used it as an excuse to flood his mind again.

She let out a deep breath. "So everything you've told me is the truth?"

"I have never lied to you."

She caught his eyes and still there was no fear in them, only curiosity, and the hope engulfed him and he was powerless to stop it. "What's it like?"

He looked at her, confused.

"What's it like to live in a world without mystery? To have all the answers? Does anything ever surprise you?"

He huffed out a laugh, surprised. He had run through so many scenarious in his head, so many things she might possibly say, but this hadn't been one of them.

"The world is full of surprises. For instance, I had no idea how you would react to, well, all of this. You seem to be taking it rather well."

She hummed, deep in thought. "So, when I die, when any of us die, we go either to Heaven or to hell and we spend eternity there?"

"You're going to Heaven", he said, feeling a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach at the reminder that she would one day be out of his reach, forever.

"Hmm", she said. "Will I see my father again?"

"Yes."

She was quiet again after that, staring at the water once more.

He couldn't stop himself from asking, "You are aware that I'm the devil, yes?"

She looked at him again. "Yes, sorry. In the bigger scope of things that doesn't seem like that much of a big deal."

"Not that much of a big deal?", he repeated, incredulous. "I. Am. The. Devil.", he said, enunciating every word.

"Jeez, I heard you the first two hundred times", she replied, giving him a teasing smile. It was as if a massive weight lifted off his chest. He looked at her in wonder.

"I can still come on cases with you? We can still be partners?" His voice sounded needy to his own ears and he shut up, embarrassed.

She didn't reply and he realized that she was staring at his wings again. "Detective?"

"Huh? Sorry, would you mind making them, I don't know, disappear again? They are a bit distracting."

He shrugged his shoulders, folding the wings away.

She furrowed her brow, looking confused. "Didn't you say Maze cut them off?"

"She did. It's a long story."

"Tell me."

"How Maze cut off my wings?"

"Everything. From the beginning." She took a hold of his hand, intertwining their fingers, and sat down in the sand, drawing him down with her.

He lifted their hands, staring at them, still having trouble believing that she _knew_ , she knew, and she was sitting beside him as if everything was fine.

"You do realize this story starts before the beginning of time?"

"Right. Just the CliffsNotes then, please."

He laughed again. "You're impossible, you know that? Right. Okay. Once upon a time, a boy met a girl, and they fell in love. They had sex. They happened to be celestial beings, so that moment created the universe-"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. And they build-"

"That's a little gross. And where did they come from, exactly, if there was no universe?"

He sighed and stood up, walking towards the table.

"Hey? Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm getting the wine. We're gonna be here for a long time."


End file.
